Problems
Causes of pollution in the Doce River
The pollution of Rio Doce, southeastern Brazil, resulted from a significant environmental disaster in November 2015, when the Fundão iron mine tailings dam collapsed, releasing about 50 million m³ of iron ore tailings and toxic waste into the river. The Doce River has a lengthy history of land degradation and unregulated water usage, characterized by significant deforestation leading to erosion, sedimentation, pollution, and eutrophication. The presence of gold mining activities in the region, from the 17th century until the present day, has resulted in contaminated riverbeds with toxic substances.
Consequences of the disaster for the surrounding area
Although anthropogenic disturbances such as agriculture and mining activities have caused long‐term habitat degradation, the dam collapse differs from these sources of pollution due to the large amount and speed that the tailings wave travelled, altering the structure of the habitats, such as alluvial soils, river sediments, terraces, floodplains, and river banks. The contaminated water contains high levels of mercury, arsenic, chromium, and manganese. Some scientists have expressed concern that toxins and a reduction in oxygen available in the water caused by the influx of silt and clay will cause widespread harm to the river’s ecosystems.
Gallery
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Timelines
2020
Five years after the disaster, the Renova Foundation reported investing about 11.8 billion reais ($2.2 billion) in reparatory actions and completed about 70% of its planned activities. However, many challenges and uncertainties remained, such as the long-term effects of the pollution on human health and ecosystems, the access to clean water, the recovery of fisheries and agriculture, and the satisfaction of the affected communities.
2018
The Renova Foundation carried out various actions to restore the river and the affected communities, such as water treatment, sediment management, fish monitoring, reforestation, resettlement, compensation, health care, and waste management.
2016
The Renova Foundation was created due to a settlement agreement between Samarco, Vale, BHP Billiton and the Brazilian authorities. The foundation was responsible for implementing 42 socio-environmental and socioeconomic programs to repair the damages caused by the disaster.
2015
The Fundão iron mine tailings dam collapsed, releasing about 50 million m³ of iron ore tailings and toxic waste into the river. The disaster killed 19 people, polluted the river, contaminated croplands, devastated fish and wildlife, and polluted drinking water along 650 kilometres (400 miles) of the waterway.